Nicki Taylor is thrown off course when unexpected news after her mother's death piles pressure on her crumbling marriage. It's 2005 and her expectations are changing – but will her relationship with the enigmatic Martin survive?

In this vivid first novel, Charlotte Gringras invites us into the lives of Nicki and her tribe. Meet pre-teen son Jake, who is researching the family tree; Uncle Ernie, a Kindertransport refugee with an unlikely new lady friend; and the late Grandma Freidl, a seamstress and suffragette whose letters reveal some surprising secrets.

Through the captivating stories of three generations of feisty Jewish women and one fraying heirloom, The Purple Rose recounts a century of history and struggle, against the backdrop of Manchester's changing cityscape. Engaging and entertaining, it raises questions about loyalty, identity and marriage which remain open to the emotive final page.

How to buy:

You can buy The Purple Rose from the author via her blog, or buy from Amazon.

Charlotte Gringras lives in south Manchester, a city whose suffragette history fed her feminist upbringing. She taught for many years and volunteers as a bereavement counsellor. She has served on Trafford's Religious Education committee (SACre) as its Jewish representative and is on the committee of Altrincham's Interfaith group. Her short play, Moving On, was broadcast on local radio, and her stories and poems have been published in journals and anthologies, including Best of Manchester Poets and Manchester Literary Festival's Rainy City Stories. The Purple Rose is her first novel. Charlotte is married to a doctor, with three adult children and seven grandchildren. She is available for readings, talks and other events.